Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Kevin Levin said------- ( about the W&L university making a young man change his confederate attire)
"The Virginia Flaggers ... have now gone to great lengths to stage another conflict to garner sympathy for their cause." K. Levin

"...this little fabrication takes the cake." K. Levin

"...the story is likely fabricated. There is no way to corroborate the story since no names are used and there were no police patrolling campus on Saturday." K. Levin

"The story was most likely fabricated. It is interesting how often minors are the centers of these stories."
K Levin

"Though it’s possible, I find it hard to believe that no one else was around campus on Saturday. W&L denies that there was any incident which is a very risky thing to do if others witnessed this supposed exchange."
K. Levin

W&L made this statement----

According to our Office of Public Safety, our officers reported four occasions when they interacted with individuals who were participating in the July 26 rally sponsored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in downtown Lexington.

The officers characterized all of these interactions as respectful. They did not record names or ages of any of the individuals.

In each instance, the officers requested individuals not to carry Confederate flags or to wear attire with Confederate emblems on the campus. The individuals all complied with these requests.

The University chose to take these extraordinary steps — and the equally extraordinary step of closing Lee Chapel for the weekend — to avoid potential incidents. The decision to implement these procedures was based on the extreme nature of many communications that we received in the days leading up to the event.

Our primary concern will always be for the safety and security of our campus community and all its members, including the many visitors that we have throughout the year. At the same time, we have been clear that we will not allow outside groups to use the campus as a platform.

Given the tenor of the communications and without knowing what we might expect on Saturday, we had no choice but to employ these measures that day. We appreciate the manner in which our public safety officers performed their duties and the polite cooperation of those with whom they interacted. We hope that this will not be necessary in the future. We will continue to take whatever steps we think are prudent in order to keep the community and our facilities safe.

You want fries with that ?

UPDATE !!! Well with no way out Kevin says ---.”My apologies to the Virginia Flaggers and SCV.Well at least he had enough gumption to do so.Now then what about all the folks who commented at his blog ?

On June 29th, the anniversary of the battle of Savage's Station, a young man placed a single stick battle flag at the marker commemorating the event, and in honor and memory of his 8 Confederate ancestors who fought there to defend hearth and home from unwarranted invasion.

He was dismayed when the flag was removed just a few short days later. Over the course of the next few weeks, he replaced the flag several times, and each time, it was stolen. He then began placing flags on all five markers, and labeling them with a note listing the name of his ancestor, explaining that flag was left in his memory, and asking them not to be removed. Again, the flags were stolen.

After replacing them for several weeks, the young man contacted the owner of the land, adjacent to the markers, and the very land on which the battle was fought, and acquired permission to erect a pole and Confederate flag on his property, just a few feet behind the markers.

A pole was quickly acquired by donation, and the flag was raised TODAY, a living breathing, 24/7 reminder to all who visit the battle field, of the honor and valor of the Confederate soldiers who lived and died there. Special 54 x 54 ANV flags are on order, and will be installed by the end of the week.

This young flagger says he got his inspiration when he saw the Confederate flag that was erected on private land just behind the Federal Monument at Point Lookout. We cannot express our pride and gratitude that this young man faced set back and anger over and over, but instead of giving up, found a way to turn it into a real victory.

Where are the proof readers when you need them? The advertisement on Ebay has a note, “Ooooops, fixed Jeb’s ribbon.” I wonder how David Tatum selected the group, noticing that he includes what I assume to be his gggrandfather W.H. Tatum, First Company Richmond Howitzers, Wolford and Ruffin but omits Longstreet, Hardee, Johnson, Cleburne and others.

Well Bob - W.H Tatum is my Great Grand Father's older brother. That's what ya get for assuming !
How did I select the 13 for the set ? I just picked the first 13 that came to mind ! So being a set of 13 some others were not included.

Your right Bob "Where are the proof readers when you need them?"
It's "Wofford" not Wolford ! Funny Brooks didn't catch that !
But he never holds his own people to the High Standards he does us !

__________________________________________________________________

Now my advice for those who dieDeclare the pennies on your eyes'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxmanAnd you're working for no one but me.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

In a letter to his wife 03/12/1864 Sherman discloses why the South had to be destroyed--

"The devils seem to have a determination that cannot but be admired. No amount of poverty or adversity seems to shake their faith - niggers gone -- wealth and luxury gone, money worthless, starvation in view within a period of two or three years, are causes enough to make the bravest tremble, yet I see no sign of let up - some few deserters - plenty tired of war, but the masses determined to fight it out."

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Six-year flag dispute in Ringgold to be heard in court

By Adam Cook

A six-year tug-of-war between the city of Ringgold and the Sons of Confederate Veterans over the flag display at the historic Ringgold Depot could come to some sort of resolution soon.The case is scheduled to be heard Friday in Catoosa County Civil Court.On March 28, 2008, Ringgold city council voted 3-2 to take down the Confederate Battle flag that had been flying high above the Depot to honor soldiers who had fought in or were from Catoosa County.The decision to remove the flag came after numerous citizens in the city’s black community urged the council to remove the flag, as they felt it was a symbol of hate.The flag was then replaced by the blue and white Hardee-Cleburne flag, a regimental flag of Gen. Patrick Cleburne, who defended Ringgold Gap in 1863.That decision sparked a new battle for many citizens, especially those belonging to the group known as the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV).Tom Poteet, a Catoosa County citizen since 1942, filed a suit against the city on behalf of the SCV stating that city was wrong in removing a piece of history, and that it is discrediting a number of soldiers who fought for the country.With the case on the docket to be heard by judge Kristina Cook Graham on Friday, July 25, Poteet and several members of the SCV made one last attempt at a compromise at the most recent Ringgold city council meeting on Monday, July 14.“I’m here again to ask about the flag issue and controversy,” Poteet said when he addressed the council. “We’ve got the United States flag at the Depot, and the Hardee flag up there now, but only represents about four percent of Confederate soldiers. We’ve got the court stuff coming up, and I don’t want to see the national news crawling all over town about this controversy. We don’t want to see this go on. …. It’s not right to not let those soldiers have the right flag up there.”Ray McBerry, who serves as commander of the Georgia SCV, also attended the meeting and after a brief history lesson, offered a compromise to the council.McBerry explained that that since the city is against having the actual battle flag up, the group would appreciate at least having the second national flag flying in its place, and asked that the council vote to honor that request and put an end to the pending lawsuit.“This has been a six-year legal battle, and it’s becoming expensive for both parties,” McBerry said. “In the spirit of reconciliation, we would consider it an honorable compromise to have the Second National flag raised above the Hardee Corps (Hardee-Cleburne) flag. We’re all wanting to win this battle for the soldiers, and we would love to see the second national flag up at the Depot.”Lt. Cmdr. Ronald Eslinger also spoke, asking the city to honor the memory of the soldiers themselves, and added that members of his own family, Isaac and James Eslinger, fought alongside Gen. Cleburne.After representatives from the SCV spoke their peace during the meeting, long-time mayor Joe Barger read a statement saying that the city had “no comment” on the pending legal proceedings, following the advise of the city attorney Jim Bisson.In the days since the meeting, Poteet and Eslinger say they have accepted that they’re still in an ongoing battle, and that they’re just trying to “do right” by the soldiers.“We just want to honor those soldiers the right way,” Eslinger said. “People just look at things the wrong way. That flag has been misinterpreted over the years, and folks have the wrong perception of it.”“We’ve been at this to try to get the right flag flying up there,” Poteet added. “We can’t change history.”The case is on the calendar for 9 a.m. on Friday morning, July 25.According to Eslinger, the SCV camp is expected to be well-represented with hundreds of members planning to make their way to Ringgold in support of the effort.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Q Introduced in 1833 this is considered the second biggest boom to cotton production,

What was it ?

Q What two advantages did the second biggest boom have ?

The first one is EASY.

UPDATE !

Well I've gotten a few answers to #1, that was E-Z.I'll post the answers to all in a day or so.I guess ya can't Google the answers to the other 3 !

Answers to Quiz --

# 1 Cotton Gin

# 2 The Gin Saw, this was an improved version of the Cotton Gin.Whitney's Gin was not the first machine for removing seeds from cotton, prior to his inventionRoller Gins that were invented in the Bahamas were in use as early as 1791,An improved version of the Roller Gin coexisted with the Gin for 30 years, but ultimately lost out.

# 3 The introduction of the " Petit Gulf Seed"This was a Mexican hybrid seed.#4 Advantages - The Bolls had a tendency to open simultaneously, and they opened so widely that picking the cotton was more easily done. In the early 1800s, picking rates were 50 / 60 pounds per day,After the introduction of the Petit Seed rates were at 150 pounds early on,as the seed became more widely used rates of 300 pounds per day were reported.The source of my answers--pages 84 and 90 of"Slavery and American Economic Development"by Gavin Wright.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

( From WJTV / Jacob Kittilstad )
People mostly associate the term with Nazi Germany but historians say - it's true - they also existed in America.
During the Civil War authorities in Natchez, Mississippi forced tens of thousands of freed slaves into camps built in what's known as "The Devil's Punchbowl", local historians said.
Untouched fruit falls to the ground near the banks of the Mississippi River around a bend in Adams County, researcher Paula Westbrook said.
"They talk about there's the most beautiful wild peach groves down in the punch bowls," Westbrook said.And like a peach, the area known as "The Devil's Punchbowl" has a pit: a mass grave from the 1860's, Westbrook, who co-founded Delta Paranormal Research, said.Historians estimate that in one year following Union troops' arrivals in Natchez, up to 20,000 freed slaves died in "contraband camps" below steep bluffs.
"When the slaves were released from the plantations during the occupation they overran Natchez. And the population went from about 10,000 to 120,000 overnight," Westbrook said. Her research included searching through Adams County Sheriff's reports from the time."So they decided to build an encampment for 'em at Devil's Punchbowl which they walled off and wouldn't let 'em out," Don Estes, former director of the Natchez City Cemetery, said.
Estes said that history research is his life. During his studies he said he learned that Union troops ordered re-captured black men to perform hard labor. Women and children were all but left to die in the three "punchbowls"."Disease broke out among 'em, smallpox being the main one. And thousands and thousand died. They were begging to get out. 'Turn me loose and I'll go home back to the plantation! Anywhere but there'," Estes said."But they wouldn't let 'em out," Estes said.
Westbrook adds that, "The union army did not allow them to remove the bodies from the camp. They just gave 'em shovels and said bury 'em where they drop.
"It's a bed of alligators and snakes. It would take Indiana Jones, at this point, to get back in there," Westbrook said. "Then you come on up the bluffs, the washing away bluffs, and there's the devil's punchbowl that has so many people that no one knows how they got killed or when," Estes said. "And they're still down there. Wasted," Estes said.
"And even to this day they talk about wild peach trees that come up down there but no one in Natchez will eat 'em because they know what the fertilizer was," Westbrook said.
Even now locals might discover old skeletal remains after flooding on the Mississippi River. But, being on the Natchez Trace, sometimes it's difficult to tell which century the bones are from.

It's no wonder the Yankee controlled text books we are given in school fail to mention this !

UPDATE

I sent an RFI to -- info@natchezhistoricalsociety.org

This Just In ----

Dear Dave,
As far as I know there is no documentation that any such incident with
respect to the Devil's Punch Bowl ever took place. I think this falls
into the realm of fantasy.
Thanks for contacting us.
Gary O'Neal
Natchez Historical Society

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A few years ago The Virginian Pilot ( my local newspaper ) did a series entitled
"Voices of the Civil War"
A reporter came by my house and the closing segment in the series included the interview with me.
In fact mt interview was the closing statement in the 6 week series.

I was digging through some papers, looking for something else when I found it !

I'd like to share it with Y'all ---

This is his original Parole --

And this is the note

inside an edition of Howe's Virginia Printed in1845

This book is full of amazing things, I will share some of the items in future posts.